Keyhole splice



J1me 1952 J. J. DOMOJ ET AL 2,600,395

KEYHQLE SPLICE Filed June 1, 1951 INVENTOR$ JoH/v JOSEPH 00010.!

By SIDNEY ROSENEERG 191 ran/vars Patented June 17, 1952 KEYHOLE SPLICE John Joseph. Domoi, dina, N- Y and. Sidney Rosenberg, Philadelphia. Pa,

Application June 1, 195-1, SeriaLiNQ. states (Grant d und r the a t f March 3, 8 .3, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) Claims.

The invention d scribed herein may be. manufactured and used by or for the Governmen of the. United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention pertains to the art of cordage, and it comprises a novel terminal eye of a cord or strand, as also a novel method of producing the same.

The terminal eye of the present invention i of simple, low cost structure, but its strength and stability is nevertheless asv high as prior art t rminal eyes embodying much more complexand stly structure.

Principles of the invention, and the structure. and the mann r of roduc ng one practica1 embodiment thereof, will be clear from the accomnanyin drawin to which a tention is now directed. In the drawing his 1 is an elevation of a ternriinal ye emo ying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an l vation. of an. instrument that facilitates producing the terminal eye of Fig. nd

Fig. 3 isv an elevation illustratin th terminal eye of Fig. 1 at one step in its process or production.

The terminal eye of the invention is produced by forming the strand near its end into a bite of which the main length I I and the terminal length I 2 respectively constitute the several two legs of the bite. The terminal length I2 is projected to penetrate through the thickness of the main length II at I5, and is additionally similarly projected to penetrate through the thickness of the main length II at the points It and I I in succession. The point I5 is located along the main length I I in the direction away from the fold I8 of the bite I I, I2 the distance that is required for the desired size of the terminal eye. Points I5, I6 and I! are located spaced apart from each other along the main length II, with respective points of penetration I8 and Il located progressively greater distances from the fold Ill.

The distance along strand II between adjacent points of penetration I5, I 6 and I! may vary within wide limits, and spacings about three or four times the thickness of the strand have been used and found suitable. Adjacent penetrations I 5, I6 and I I are angularly displaced with reference to each other around the axis of strand II, angular displacements of successive penetrations preferably being in the same direction. The strand material of the terminal leg I2- is drawn through the penetrations I6 and I! to 2 an extent to position the strand material of the main and terminal. l ths II and 12 between penetrations closely side-by-side. Thus the total thickness of the strand material of the terminal. eye, is reduced to a minimum.

The invention is particularly applicable for strands having braided sheath as shown.

The instrument 20 is provided to facilitate forming the splice of the terminal eye. The instrument 20 comprises a point ii at its one end, the axial socket 22 at its other end, and the shank 23 which tapers smoothly, continuously from the point 2 to. the. socket. 227.

The strand end 25 of the terminal length I2 is preferably treated to prevent its fraying, one suitable structure being to wrap the strand end 25 With iriction tape. Socket 22 of the instrument 2!! is sized to fit, the treated strand end'25.

To fabri ate the t rminal ey f the prese t invention, the pointed end 2| or" the instrument .20. is project d to pen trate through the thickn ss i the main. len th I at the p int 5. the position of the point I5 of penetration along the strand being determined by the desired size of the terminal eye and the amount of terminal length I2 required to form the splice. The treated strand end 25 of the terminal length I2 is seated in the socket 22 before the instrument 20 is pulled through the main length I I, and the treated end 25 and the terminal length I2 are drawn through the main length II at I5 by the instrument it bein p ojected all the y through. The t rm nal len t I2v s n w drawn through the main length ii at 55 to the extent required to produce the desired size of eye.

The instrument 20 is now projected into and enetrated through the thickness of the main length I I in a similar manner at the point I6 along the length II, and the terminal length I2 is driven through at I5 similarly by and with the instrument 20.

The main length I I is given at least a quaterturn for penetration I5 after penetration I5, so that the pentrations I6 and I5 are angularly displaced or more with reference to each other around the axis of strand II.

The penetration at point I! along the main length I! is made in the same manner as penetrations I5 and 55 already described, and is displaced angularly 90 or more with reference to penetration I6 around the axis of the main length II, the angular displacement of penetration I! with reference to It being in the same direction as penetration IS with reference to I5.

After penetration It is made, the terminal length I2 is drawn through main length I I at I6 by an amount to equalize the strand extent of lengths II and I2 between penetrations I5 and I 6. This positions the two strands side-by-side spirally of each other between'penetrations I6 and II. At II, the terminal length I2 is drawn through main length I I similarly to position the two strands side-by-side spirally of each other between penetrations I6 and II.

There may be additional penetrations after I! is completed, but the three penetrations I5, I6 and IT hereinbefore described have proven sufficient for practice of the invention to produce a terminal eye having strength comparable with the strength of strand I I. Under test, the splice of penetrations I5, I 6 and I! as hereinbefore described is at least 90 as strong as the strand II.

When the last penetration I1 is completed, the instrument :9 is removed from the treated strand end 25, which lies alongside the main length II as illustrated in Fig. 1. The extent of strand of terminal length I2 from strand end 25 to the penetration I I is determined before the terminal eye is formed by the original extent of the terminal length I2 from the fold I8 to the treated end 25.

The disclosure presents one practical application of the invention, which is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiment. The invention is limited by the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. In the terminal eye of a strand, a bite of the strand comprising respective main and terminal lengths thereof forming the several legs of the bite, the terminal length being projected to penetrate through the thickness of the main length at a plurality of points in succession spaced apart along the main length, adjacent penetrations of the terminal length through the main length being angularly displaced with reference to each other around the axis of the main length, angular displacements of successive penetrations being in the same direction, portions of the strand in the main and terminal lengths between adjacent penetrations being positioned closely side-by-side.

2. In a terminal eye as defined in claim 1, the angular displacement between adjacent penetrations being at least a quarter turn.

3. In the terminal eye of a strand embodying a braided sheath, a bite of the strand comprising respective main and terminal lengths thereof forming the several legs of the bite, the terminal length being projected to penetrate through the thickness of the main length at a plurality of points in succession spaced apart along the main length, successive penetrations of the terminal length through the main length being angularly displaced with reference to each other around the axis of the main length, angular displacements of successive penetrations being in the same direction, portions of the strand in the main and terminal lengths between adjacent penetrations being positioned closely side-byside.

4. The method of fabricating a terminal eye of a strand comprising forming a bite of the strand with respective main and terminal lengths thereof constituting the several legs of the bite, projecting the terminal length through the thickness of the main length at a point along the main length spaced away from the fold of the bite the required distance for the desired size of eye, penetrating the terminal length through the main length at a plurality of points along the main length spaced apart from each other and successively spaced away from the fold of the bite greater distances, positioning adjacent penetrations at points angularly displaced with reference to each other around the axis of the main length, making angular displacements of successive penetrations around the axis of the main strand in the same direction, drawing the terminal length through successive penetrations of the main length sufficiently for the main and terminal lengths to be positioned closely side-byside between adjacent penetrations.

5. In the method as defined in claim 4, treating the strand end of the terminal length to prevent its fraying, providing an instrument comprising a point at its one end, an axial socket at its other end sized to fit the treated strand end, and a tapered shank extending from the point end to the socket end, for producing each of the several penetrations projecting the point of the instrument through the thickness of the main length and with the strand end of the terminal length seated in the socket of the instrument drawing the terminal length through the penetration of the main length after the instrument, and removing the instrument from the strand end of the terminal length leaving the treated end thereof attached when the terminal eye is completed.

JOHN JOSEPH DOMOJ. SIDNEY ROSENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 338,216 Atwood Mar. 16, 1886 1,967,102 Schlegel July 17, 1934 2,549,382 Mitterway Apr. 17, 1951 

